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Battle River Lutheran Church
Chauvin, Near
Other Names:
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Battle River Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church
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Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Battle River Lutheran Church is a one and one-half storey asymmetrical wood frame church building with a combined steeple and entranceway on its southeast corner situated in a rural setting twelve miles north of the Village of Chauvin.
Heritage Value
The heritage value the Battle River Lutheran Church derives from its association with Norwegian settlement and their development of religious institutions in Alberta during the settlement period, its representation of picturesque church architecture and its prominence as a landmark.
Norwegian settlement of Alberta was derived in large measure from Minnesota, a major destination point for immigrants coming to North America directly from Norway or via Ontario and Quebec in the 1850s through to the 1880s. The majority of the Norwegian settlers who located north of Chauvin in the Battle River area came from Fosston, Minnesota. The link to Minnesota was maintained with the organization of the Battle River Congregation. Pastor K.O. Hildahl who had ministered too many of the pioneers when they lived in Minnesota guided the settlers in the creation in 1909 of the Battle River Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church with head offices in Minneapolis. Services were conducted in Norwegian until 1924 when the increasingly diverse backgrounds of the settlers prompted a shift to the use of English. The church was in active use by the same congregation until 1983.
Its representation of picturesque church architecture includes its asymmetrical plan, classically proportioned steeple the positioning of which is similar to the Akron plan and the use of carpenter gothic windows.
Its size, color and prominent position on a hill have made it an enduring landmark to the settlement the Battle River area which began at the turn of the century.
Source: Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61 (File: 1407)
Character-Defining Elements
Exterior
- form, scale and massing;
- the use of wood in the construction of walls, steeple, as well as frames for all windows and vents on the steeple;
- use of wood shingles as a roof covering on the main building and the steeple as well as the top section of the steeple;
- carpenter gothic windows on all facades;
- brick chimney;
- the wooden entranceway to the basement;
- the rectangular window and the carpenter gothic window over the entranceway which is incorporated into the steeple;
- the four carpenter gothic vents on the second storey of the steeple;
- weather vane on the top of the steeple.
Interior
- columns and molding of partial partition separating sanctuary from the nave.
Location
| Street Address: |
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| Community: |
Chauvin, Near |
| Boundaries: |
Portion of SE and SW 14-45-2-W4 |
| Contributing Resources: |
Building: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
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Mer |
Rge |
Twp |
Sec |
LSD |
4
4
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2
2
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45
45
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14
14
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2 (ptn.)
3 (ptn.)
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PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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52.872988 |
-110.185493 |
GPS |
NAD 83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2005/07/19 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1910 To 1923 |
| Period of Significance: |
1910 To 1983 |
| Theme(s): |
Building Social and Community Life : Religious Institutions
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| Historic Function(s): |
Religion, Ritual and Funeral : Religious Facility or Place of Worship
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| Current Function(s): |
Religion, Ritual and Funeral : Religious Facility or Place of Worship
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| Architect: |
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| Builder: |
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| Context: |
The pre-First World War era in the history of Alberta is distinctive because of the multi-cultural nature of immigration to the rural areas of the province and the creation of churches which maintained the link with their homeland. Norwegian settlers were an important part of this chapter in the Alberta settlement process. Many of these settlers came to Alberta from Minnesota which had been a major destination for immigrants coming directly from Norway or via Ontario and Quebec in the 1850s through to the 1880s. Norwegian settlement began in 1880 and extended through to the 1930s when many Norwegian farmers from southern Saskatchewan moved to the Peace River country after a series of crop failures.
The Battle River Lutheran Church was built by a community which was part of this pattern of settlement. The Battle River Congregation was organized on March 13, 1909 under the guidance of Pastor K.O. Hildahl of Fosston, Minnesota. He had ministered too many of the pioneers while they lived in Minnesota and so was invited to come to the Roros district where they had settled to assist in their plans for a congregation in the new land. With his assistance, the Battle River Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Church with head offices in Minneapolis was created. Services were conducted in Norwegian until 1924 when the increasingly diverse backgrounds of the settlers prompted a shift to the use of English.
The Battle River Lutheran Church evolved from a non-descript rectangular wood frame structure into a landmark of pioneer Norwegian settlement along the Battle River north of Chauvin between 1910 and 1923. It has retained this status with no changes to its exterior appearance since its construction. Its location on a hill, its white color and large spire made it a landmark in an area which has retained its rural character since settlement began at the turn of the century.
(J. Gilpin, 2006)
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0146 |
| Designation File: |
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| Related Listing(s): |
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| Heritage Survey File: |
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| Website Link: |
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| Data Source: |
Municipal District of Wainwright No. 61, 717 - 14 Avenue, Wainwright AB T9W 1B3 (File:1407)
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